The condition known as heartburn is very common and very unpleasant. You know you have it when you feel a painful burning sensation in the gullet, usually felt in the middle of the chest but sometimes in the throat. Virtually everybody experiences it at one time or another, often at night, and it not only causes great discomfort, but also prevents sleep. The usual remedy is antacid medication, but this is really not recommended it can ruin your digestive system, raise your blood pressure and cause stomach ulcers. If you are subject to this condition on a regular basis, you may want to find out how to stop heartburn naturally.
There are two different sides to this question. One is the question of how to prevent getting the condition in the first place, and the other is what natural remedies to use when you do have it. Prevention is very much a matter of lifestyle choices. One piece of advice is to lose weight, as carrying round excess pounds puts extra pressure on the stomach and forces acid upwards but, of course, losing weight is easier said than done. One thing you need to do is identify the foods and drinks that generate excess acid in the stomach, or cause an overload of fat, and cut them out of your diet.
These include citrus fruits and tomatoes, though these may be taken in moderation. Foods to avoid include fried foods and foods containing saturated or hydrogenated fats, spicy foods such as hot chilies and curries, and starchy and sugary foods. All of these produce excess acids. Help your digestive process by taking smaller more frequent meals rather than large infrequent ones, and do not have a meal less than two preferably three hours before going to bed. Liquids to avoid include anything containing caffeine, which is naturally acidic, alcohol especially beer, and sodas and carbonated drinks.
There are also natural remedies to use when you actually do have the symptoms. The first action to take as soon as you notice the signs is to drink a large glass of water, which will dilute the acid and wash it back into the stomach. Then as quickly as possible, make a drink of ginger and cinnamon tea, by steeping grated ginger for 10 minutes in boiling water, then adding a teaspoon of crushed cinnamon, and drink it straight down. An alternative is cider vinegar, two tablespoons in a glass of water many people find this really works. You can also mix it in tea with some honey.
The reason cider vinegar works is that apples themselves are an effective heartburn remedy. If you eat some apple slices at every meal, you have a good chance of preventing the condition in the first place. There are also other fruits which are effective, including ripe bananas unripe or green ones seem to make it worse papayas and pineapples. Other natural remedies which have proved effective include leaf extracts from the Globe artichoke, a mixture of caraway and peppermint oils, and root extract from licorice.
Even if you have never endured this distressing condition, you should still know how to stop heartburn naturally. Adopting the right lifestyle choices should minimize your risk of ever experiencing it at all. If you already find yourself suffering from it on a regular basis, using natural methods to combat it can only be better for your overall health.